This invention relates to an apparatus for steering a vehicle through a fluid medium, and more particularly, to an apparatus for increasing maneuverability of the vehicle when traveling at low speeds.
Vehicles traveling through a fluid medium typically have a steering system unique to the type of vehicle and the fluid medium. For example, a guided missile is initially propelled and steered by the thrust of rocket motors and the like. Similarly, a vehicle traveling through water, such as a submarine, is guided by fluid flowing over stern control surfaces.
However, at low speeds, the rate of fluid flow over the stern control surfaces is insufficient to generate sufficient thrust to maintain high rates of turn. This can be undesirable when the vehicle is traveling under certain operating scenarios where a higher rate of turn is required.
The present invention has the following objects:
an improved steering apparatus for increasing the mobility of a vehicle traveling through a fluid medium; PA1 an improved steering apparatus to aid in the low speed maneuverability of a vehicle traveling through a fluid medium; and PA1 an auxiliary improved steering apparatus providing a secondary method of steering a vehicle traveling through a fluid medium.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.